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Post by beanless on Jul 10, 2009 17:35:31 GMT -5
Living in New Zealand my choice of chocolate is limited and I would like to try some really good chocolate. Can anyone suggest some good bars to try as my partner is travelling to the USA next week and will bring some back for me. Would also love to try some members chocolate if you have online sales. Any suggestions appreciated. Ali
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zen
Neophyte
Posts: 15
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Post by zen on Jul 12, 2009 22:33:42 GMT -5
hey
my fav is cadbury's
Zen
<a href="http://www.greentimes.com.au">green journal</a> - <a href="http://www.greentimes.com.au">environment directory</a>
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Post by cheebs on Jul 13, 2009 8:38:42 GMT -5
HI Ali,
Here are some bars that I personally like:
Domori Sambirano 70% Any bar from the Valrhona Vintage line (Ampamakia, Palmira or Gran Couva) Valrhona Alpaco and Manjari Michel Cluizel Los Ancones Bonnat Ceylan 75% Pralus Indonesia 75% Pierre Marcolini Finca La Joya Porcelana 72%
Hope this helps.
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Post by FeralOne on Jul 13, 2009 13:38:03 GMT -5
Where in the US?
I have lots of European fav's but here in the US my favorites are Amano (Utah) and Chocolate Haven (Jacques Torres, New York). I've never personally tried Escazu (North Carolina), but they are collecting quite a loyal following. Hope to try them sometime soon.
There are many, many Chocolatier's (Fondeurs, confectionists... whatever you want to call them), but I would avoid the chain stores and try to find the independently owned shops.
Andrea
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Post by beanless on Jul 16, 2009 16:01:55 GMT -5
Sorry my computer has been misbehaving - he will be in New York, San Fransisco and Portland.
Thanks for the suggestions - so far he has picked up some Amadei Chuao and Porcelana, Domori Sambirano and Portofino, Michel Cluizel Los Ancones and Vila Gracinda, Pralus Indonbesia and Le 100%.
Yum Yum and now he's onto your list Andrea.
Is there any worth searching for in Japan???
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Post by cheebs on Jul 16, 2009 16:34:26 GMT -5
Forgot to add a few microbatch US producers: De Vries Chocolate ( www.devrieschocolate.com ) has won many awards lately and is highly respected by the chocolate industry There's our own Alan Mc Clure's Patric Chocolate ( www.patric-chocolate.com ) Shawn Askinosie of Askinosie Chocolate ( www.askinosie.com ) is also building a very good rep. And even though they are now Hershey products, I guess it's still worth trying Dagoba, Scharffen Berger and Joseph Schmidt.
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gap
Apprentice
Posts: 390
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Post by gap on Jul 16, 2009 19:26:51 GMT -5
I would second Patric chocolate. I also like the Guittard bars I have tried.
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Post by FeralOne on Jul 16, 2009 21:30:54 GMT -5
(hanging my head in shame) I don't know how I forgot to mention Patric. But I'll third that suggestion. Andrea
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Post by chocolatedr on Aug 20, 2009 11:30:49 GMT -5
Amano, Madagascar is the best U.S. made bar i have tried
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Post by Brad on Aug 20, 2009 18:51:29 GMT -5
My favorite bar is Choklat's Cuyagua 70%! Oh.... Wait... That's my company! LOL It can still be my favourite, can't it? Oh.... I might be getting some Chuao. Shhhhh..... Don't tell anyone! Brad.
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Post by FeralOne on Aug 20, 2009 21:57:28 GMT -5
"Oh.... I might be getting some Chuao. Shhhhh..... Don't tell anyone!" www.amedei-us.com/Amedei-Limited-Edition-Chuao-Bar/M/B000F7IKXC.htm"Under exclusive arrangement with the world-renowned Chuao cocoa plantation, Venezuela" I have always been a little confused about this, does Amadei actually own the rights to the bean or not? From what I have understood is that the TRUE Chuao bean is exclusively theirs, but farms in the area of the region are making the claim that they are producing Chuao beans, but they are not truly. Can you clarify this for me? Andrea
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Post by reelchemist on Aug 20, 2009 22:57:32 GMT -5
The Amedei - Valrhona battle for Chuao is detailed in a book called Chocolate: A Bittersweet Saga of Dark and Light by Mort Rosenblum - it is quite a good read. It is investigator reporter style about his own journey of chocolate discovery.
I think I am too late for this other piece of advice but if you go to SF then Bittersweet Cafe is the way to go to pick up a wide variety of top brand choc bars. A friend of mine did last time they were there and I was pretty pleased with the selection.
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Post by Brad on Aug 21, 2009 2:43:22 GMT -5
Hi Andrea;
Amedei doesn't own the rights to the bean, because they don't own the plantations from which the beans come (Chuao beans come from a collection of plantations in a single region of Venezuela).
My source tells me that the plantation owners have, in the past year "gotten smart" and realized what they could REALLY be selling their beans for. The price I was quoted for a metric ton was indicative of that. Big $$$...
I'm still doing my homework to insure that the beans in fact DO come from the Chuao plantations. It would make sense however, that if a supplier (one of the Chuao plantations in this case) raises their prices based on the predetermined and agreed upon formula, and the purchaser opts not to pay, or can't afford to pay the amended price, the supplier is then free to sell the beans at the amended price (or higher) to another customer.
This is how I was able to get my Porcelana. Pierre Marcolini didn't purchase all of the beans the plantation owner produced. As a result, the plantation had an excess and could sell it without breaking their contract.
Hope this answers your question.
Having said all of that, I haven't yet determined that the beans are in fact from a Chuao plantation. When I do, I'll be sure to let everyone know.
Brad.
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Post by FeralOne on Aug 21, 2009 6:44:22 GMT -5
Brad, thanks for responding! This issue has always been confusing to me. Amadei makes the claim that they own the rights and I could not see them allowing those beans to make it to the hands of any other chocolate maker if that was the case. I knew that Chuao is a village consisting of many different growers, which is another thing that made me think they didn't own the rights to ALL of the beans. Did you check on international trademarking? They may own the rights for the name once it is made into chocolate bars. I don't know if you can trademark a geographical region. (?)
Andrea
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Post by Brad on Aug 21, 2009 9:57:57 GMT -5
Andrea;
My contact has gotten back to me and tells me that the contract was valid until only the end of last year. He now holds 50% of the Chuao region production, and Amedei holds the other 50%.
Trademarking a name isn't difficult. However it IS VERY EXPENSIVE to trademark a name globally, as the trademark has to be successfully registered in every country that the registering company wishes to sell/market their products.
For example, a trademark registered here in Canada isn't valid in the US (and vice versa), unless it's also registered in the US, and that will only be contingent on whether or not that trademark hasn't already been registered in the US by another company.
Hope this helps.
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